Justices Return 2nd Ousted Judge To Bench

The Illinois Supreme Court has returned to the bench a former Cook County judge ousted eight years ago by fellow judges after Chicago lawyer groups criticized his judicial temperament.

Joseph T. Lavorci, 80, was an associate judge from 1974 until 1983, when he was removed from the bench by a vote of the county`s full Circuit Court judges. Last week, he was recalled to duty by the state high court for five months beginning Monday.

Lavorci is the second ``retired`` judge reappointed temporarily to the bench in the past month by the state Supreme Court despite having been removed from office.

It was disclosed earlier that Angelo Mistretta, one of seven judges ousted by voters in last November`s judicial retention election, had been recalled to duty, also effective Monday.

``Coming as it does on the heels of the recall of Judge Mistretta, which received widespread and justifiable criticism, the recall of Judge Lavorci under almost identical circumstances is simply unacceptable and

inexplicable,`` said James Wascher, president of the Chicago Council of Lawyers.

The state Supreme Court routinely recalls retired judges-both full circuit judges and associate judges-when they are needed to augment the judicial ranks.

Associate judges are selected by a vote of the full circuit judges. They need the votes of 60 percent of the circuit judges to win retention for four- year terms.

Associate judges now are paid $78,396 a year.

When Lavorci sought retention in 1979, the Chicago Council of Lawyers found him not qualified, saying then that though he was praised by many lawyers, ``no associate judge being evaluated by the council this year has provoked a heavier volume of criticism of his temperament.``

The council said Lavorci had been described repeatedly as ``belligerent and bullying toward lawyers and litigants.``

Four years later, Lavorci was one of five associate judges who failed to win retention after the Chicago Bar Association found him not recommended.

The bar association said at the time that Lavorci lacked judicial temperament and legal ability.

Attempts to reach Lavorci for comment Tuesday were unsuccessful. He apparently has been assigned to the court`s Domestic Relations Division.

Laurel Bellows, current president of the Chicago Bar Association, called Lavorci`s appointment ``disturbing.``

``Generally speaking, retired judges bring a breadth of experience to the bench,`` Bellows said. ``But to reach back to appoint a judge who the judges themselves found not to be qualified is a slap in the face to circuit judges.``

The bar association also is researching whether Mistretta and Lavorci meet the definition of ``retired judge or associate judge`` eligible for assignment to active duty under the state Constitution.

``There are many qualified candidates out there who would make fine judges,`` Bellows said.

John Madigan, spokesman for the Supreme Court, declined comment on Lavorci`s recall except to say that ``the court obviously believes he is up to the task of serving.``

Lavorci was a Republican precinct captain for 25 years in the 19th Ward on Chicago`s Southwest Side and an unsuccessful GOP candidate for judge between 1966 and 1970.